Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. . .The Marilyn Maye special has once again pulled into New York City’s Metropolitan Room.  She’s not “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe,” albeit a winning rendition for this lady, but on her own special high speed locomotive.

Having reviewed Ms. Maye several times, I come away each time feeling a bit overwhelmed in my attempt to describe perfection. The dictionary doesn’t seem adequately filled with the superlatives, the adjectives and accolades. She’s been called a “master class,” “The Grand Duchess of Cabaret,” “electrifying,” “a singer’s singer”. . .

How does an 80+ year young gal wow an audience for over 1 ½ hours with unending vitality and pizzazz, hardly a perspiration bead disrupting the well done makeup and not even a glass of water in sight?  Her vocal prowess is unwavering, every note, phrase and utterance, a gem, and right on target.

With around 1500 songs written, Johnny Mercer is every singers’ favorite, having covered most topics known to mankind and expressing every emotion. Continuing Mercer’s Centennial Celebration, vocalists everywhere attempt to cover the many songs. A difficult task, yes, but Maye has added some new surprises to her Mercer Reprise and says “I’ll do them all.” I think she really means it!

The sub-categories of this latest Mercer show cover songs that fall into chapters, with examples that include: Angels: “And The Angels Sing”-w/Ziggy Elman, filled with inflections and proving that less is better; Female Name Quotes: “Laura”- one of his most beautiful love songs; Love Stories: “Out Of This World” intertwined with “That Old Black Magic,” both written with Harold Arlen, a great blend of lyrics and feelings; Autumn: featuring the less sung “When October Goes,” written with Barry Manilow, and replete with sadness and a highlight, that gives Maye a vehicle to wrap her body, mind and soul around; At The Bar: “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” with Harold Arlen, was punctuated with a dramatic monologue; Revenge: “Goody Goody” – w/Matt Malneck; Academy Awards: Mercer won four, including for “In The Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” – w/Hoagy Carmichael; Lightheartedness: “If I Had My Druthers” w/Gene De Paul.

Think of a storybook read in musical terms with notes, different tempos, timbre, accents or an impressionist painting, plein aire, where color, form and style are subject to the change of light. These terms, when applied to the Maye Way, constitute what arises from the depths of her soul, as she pours herself into each song. The ubiquitous Maye brings tears to Mercer/Phillipe Bloch’s “When the World Was Young,” and the bottom line is, as always: all about the lyric and phrasing.

Mom Marilyn proudly introduced daughter Christie, a voice teacher, and candidly admits to being one smart lady putting together her musicians Tedd Firth, pianist/conductor; Steve Doyle, bass; Jim Eklof, drums. Whenever this train stops in town, make sure you get a seat!